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P A Carrasco

Publications and source records attributed to P A Carrasco.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Strategies to eradicate rubella in the English-speaking Caribbean.

OBJECTIVE: This report presents the strategies used to eradicate rubella in the Caribbean region and the challenges faced by that effort. METHODS: Using the surveillance system for measles cases that was instituted in all countries in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), 12 countries confirmed cases of rubella between 1992 and 1996. Rubella infections occurred in epidemic proportions in 6 countries during that period. RESULTS: On the basis of the rubella prevalence data, rubella-congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) cost-benefit analysis, and cost-effectiveness of the mass campaign, the Council for Human and Social Development of CARICOM resolved, on April 21, 1998, that every effort would be made to eradicate rubella, as well as to prevent the occurrence of new cases of CRS by the end of 2000. Using the Pan American Health Organization's template for measles eradication, CARICOM proposed and implemented the main strategies for rubella and CRS eradication, and rubella mass campaigns were conducted in 18 countries. The target population, which included males and females (aged 20-40 years), was approximately 2.2 million. CONCLUSION: The major challenges for rubella eradication are attaining high vaccine coverage in the adult population and maintaining an effective surveillance system able to detect rubella activity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Measles eradication: experience in the Americas.

In 1994, the Ministers of Health from the Region of the Americas targeted measles for eradication from the Western Hemisphere by the year 2000. To achieve this goal, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) developed an enhanced measles eradication strategy. First, a one-time-only "catch-up" measles vaccination campaign is conducted among children aged 9 months to 14 years. Efforts are then made to vaccinate through routine health services ("keep-up") at least 95% of each newborn cohort at 12 months of age. Finally, to assure high population immunity among preschool-aged children, indiscriminate "follow-up" measles vaccination campaigns are conducted approximately every 4 years. These vaccination activities are accompanied by improvements in measles surveillance, including the laboratory testing of suspected measles cases. The implementation of the PAHO strategy has resulted in a marked reduction in measles incidence in all countries of the Americas. Indeed, in 1996 the all-time regional record low of 2109 measles cases was reported. There was a relative resurgence of measles in 1997 with over 20,000 cases, due to a large measles outbreak among infants, preschool-aged children and young adults in São Paulo, Brazil. Contributing factors for this outbreak included: low routine infant vaccination coverage, failure to conduct a "follow-up" campaign, presence of susceptible young adults, and the importation of measles virus, apparently from Europe. PAHO's strategy has been effective in interrupting measles virus circulation. This experience demonstrates that global measles eradication is an achievable goal using currently available measles vaccines.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Eradication of wild poliovirus from the Americas: acute flaccid paralysis surveillance, 1988-1995.

In May 1985, the Pan American Health Organization proposed the goal of interruption of wild poliovirus transmission in the Western Hemisphere. An important component of the polio eradication strategy was conducting surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis. Reported cases were thoroughly investigated, including the collection of stool samples for testing for the presence of wild poliovirus. The last patient with poliomyelitis due to wild poliovirus in the Americas had onset of paralysis on 23 August 1991 in Peru. Since then, >9000 cases of acute flaccid paralysis have been reported and thoroughly investigated; none has been confirmed as paralytic poliomyelitis due to wild poliovirus. On 29 September 1994, the International Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication declared the Americas to be polio-free.

Americas↗